Home Server

I’ve been having fun going down a self-hosting rabbit hole. My current server is a Beelink S12 Pro Mini PC; it’s been excellent value for money ($180 in September 2024). However, while migrating my photos from Google to Immich, it became clear I could benefit from a more powerful machine. I’d like to spend around $1,000 to build a new home server. Here are my priorities:

• Upgradeable
• Quiet
• Energy efficient

Ideally, I’d like to build a Computer of Theseus - one where I can continue upgrading components over time as needed. To keep costs down, I plan to buy a CPU with an integrated GPU; a dedicated GPU can be added later. Since I live reasonably close to a Micro Center, I’ll take advantage of their bundling deals. Here’s my current parts list:

Type	Item	Price
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 7 265K 3.9 GHz 20-Core Processor	290
Memory	G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory	330
Motherboard	Asus Z890 AYW GAMING WIFI W ATX LGA1851 Motherboard	190
Storage	Samsung 990 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive	145
Power Supply	MSI MAG A750GL PCIE5 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	90
Case	NZXT H5 Flow (2024) ATX Mid Tower Case	85
CPU Cooler	Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler	35
Total		1165

If I bundle the CPU, motherboard, and RAM at Micro Center, I can save about $250. I plan to add more storage and a GPU later. I’m thinking about running Ubuntu Server and possibly OpenZFS. Any build tips are greatly appreciated!

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